GemstoneBR in Shore Residences

Service: Hosts are helpful, responsive, and check-in process is smooth(based on 26 reviews)

Yeah don't bother. This isn't a hotel, but rather a small apartment accommodation following the failing AirBnb model. There lies significant problems for travellers, particularly if they're non-budget. For starters, you'll be hounded with a long list of rules - far exceeding those of a typical hotel - with penalties for not following (e.g. you can be fined ₱500 merely for flushing toilet paper down the toilet). Paying fines to the apartment administration is a tedious, long process. I'd know, I had to pay one, for the first time in 18 years of international travel. Furthermore, you're not allowed to dry clothes on the balcony; if you do... yep, you could be fined. And there presents another problem: the apartment had a washing machine, yet no dryer nor even clotheslines. The management advises that you can use a laundry service downstairs for drying; but what's the point of that? The washing machine is for marketing purposes, not to practically address any need you have. Likewise, while a small kitchen is present, without the full complement of kitchenware, the kitchen is rather pointless. I didn't even have a can-opener. Travellers, might they choose to cook, shouldn't be expected to take kitchenware with them. So besides a rather pointless washing machine and a barely usable kitchen, what are you left with that a hotel doesn't have? You won't have a help desk, that's for sure. The busy administration downstairs is for managing the enormous apartment building, not for addressing your accommodation concerns. And after messaging the management staff both via Trip.com and email, I found them to be unresponsive. Likely, if something bad were to happen during your stay, such as the electronic doorlock malfunctioning, you'll be on your own. Other problems included the bedroom facing a noisy intersection and a cockroach infestation (see the images). There are rules for not smoking, and yet I could still smell tobacco smoke. This MIGHT be adequate accommodation for an unpicky budget traveller; although I've known youth hostels with better support and clothing lines to dry one's clothes! And like other AirBnB stays, I questioned whether I was being photographed. I couldn't see any hidden cameras, but noticed the ceiling light flashing subsecutively each time I switched it off. The moment I looked towards the light and gave it the middle finger, the flashing stopped. I'll let you decide.

I was a little upset about the room. Not exactly what we are expecting. But it’s ok for just night over. This room needs a renovation especially the bathroom. The pool looks amazing.